Thursday, July 28, 2016

A couple of years back, it was the hope of City officials that a new baseball stadium and other Quality of Life projects would breathe new life into Downtown revitalization efforts and spur private investment in El Paso's largely-ignored center.

Downtown El Paso is seeing a clear surge of investment with private and public projects spread throughout the area.

The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas are now in their third season, and two short years after Southwest University Park opened its gates on the site of the former City Hall, signs of burgeoning investment are becoming clear.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Drivers on the Cesar Chavez Border Highway in El Paso's Lower Valley could see the tolled third lane become a free lane in the coming years. That's according to recent moves by the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority (CRRMA).

The Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority is in talks with State officials to remove tolls from the inner lane of the Cesar Chavez Border Highway in El Paso. (CRRMA)

The CRRMA has directed staff to proceed with a plan that would eventually remove tolls from the nine-mile stretch of Loop 375 between US-54 and the Zaragoza Port of Entry along the United States/Mexico border.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

City Council has unanimously approved a rezoning change that will allow the 22-story Shadow Mountain development in West El Paso to proceed.

The City of El Paso has approved the 22-story Shadow Mountain mixed use project on the West Side. (Meyers Group)

In a special meeting held solely to consider the project on July 19, 2016, City Representatives heard from members of the community on both sides of the issue, those supporting and those opposed to the tower.

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Commuters who use Paisano Drive to get to the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry may have to find a new route in the coming years. New construction plans show that ramps to the bridge could be removed as part of the I-10 Connect project.

This rendering shows proposed changes to Paisano Drive that would limit or remove access to the Bridge of the Americas in Central El Paso. (Texas Department of Transportation)

That's according to a Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) newsletter which shows major changes to the Paisano Drive/Bridge traffic interchange.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Residents interested in moving into the Artspace Lofts in Downtown El Paso will have two opportunities next week to get information on how to apply.

The Artspace El Paso Lofts, shown in this rendering, will open this fall, and officials are holding community meetings to provide information on the building and living at the lofts. (Artspace)

Officials will hold an Info Session on Wednesday, July 20, 2016, at Cafe Mayapan from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Artspace Staff will be on hand providing information on living in the building, the application process, and the project timeline.

City officials have unveiled a plan to renovate the historic Hotel Paso del Norte in Downtown El Paso. The City is formalizing an agreement with Meyers Group of Florida and Two Sabes LLC of El Paso to perform the renovation.

In a joint effort, the two developers will embark on a $70 million project to turn the hotel, currently operating under the Camino Real brand, into the premier Downtown convention hotel. The developers will receive City, County, and State incentives if the deal is approved.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Update: The El Paso City Council has postponed a vote on the Shadow Mountain development, stating the rezoning application will be considered in one week. City Council no longer holds weekly meetings, so it's unclear if the City will hold a special meeting or actually means the vote will be postponed until the next regular meeting on July 29, 2016. We will update the date of the vote when it is official.

Original Story:

Monday, July 11, 2016

El Paso City Representatives will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow a 22-story tower to go up on the West Side. City Council will vote on a rezoning request at its biweekly meeting.

The El Paso City Council will decide the fate of the proposed 22-story Shadow Mountain tower at its July 11, 2016 meeting. The existing Coronado Tower is to the right. (Meyers Group)

The project, located at 201 Shadow Mountain Drive, just east of the Sunland Park Drive and Mesa Street intersection, requires a General Mixed Use zone to allow for hotel, residential, and retail uses within the same building.